All packed up
Planning a summer getaway? Here’s a checklist to ensure that you have packed the right stuff in your travel bags
Packing for a summer vacation ought to be easy, right? Take as little as possible, because you’re going to wear as little as possible, right? Wrong. Summer vacations often mean sandy beaches, sweaty days, the need to change clothes frequently, and possibly limited access to any kind of washing and laundering facilities. So, in fact, you need to pack in a lot of stuff, besides the usual things, for that summer trip to work out well.
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Starting at the top: scarves, caps, hats, even a folding umbrella to help you keep a cool head.
- For the eyes: serious sunglasses with UV filter, not the type you buy on the road. Also, eye-wash, eye-drops, or rose water, if you’re going to be doing a lot of swimming. Ayurvedic ‘anjans’ too work great, cooling the eyes when you apply them at night.
- For the skin: Sun block - something you’ve tried and tested, so that there are no surprises like allergies and skin reactions to deal with when you’re on holiday. Deo and talcum powder for a quick refresh.
- For the body: Clothing that breathes and absorbs sweat. Though long sleeves may seem like too warm an option, a thin layer of a cotton garment works wonders to avoid sunburn really. It’s tempting to pack in synthetics when you travel, because they don’t crush that much and dry quickly, but they can get quite uncomfortable. Also, very thin cotton may feel cool at first, but it tends to crumple, and worse, cling to your body uncomfortably once you sweat a little. Your best bet is light but firm (not floppy) cotton fabric for inner wear as well as outer garments. For an 8-day trip, assuming you don’t get to wash any of your clothes, you’d need 10 sets of clothes – or at least 10 upper garments and maybe 5 trousers/shorts/capris etc.
- For the feet: Walking shoes if you plan on wandering on foot a lot; a pair of light flat sandals, preferably water-proof. Some people also like to pack a trendy pair of footwear (along with clothes to match) for something to don on an evening out – to a party, a disc, or a fine-dining restaurant. It makes for a great change from the usual vacation gear that you hang out in.
- Toiletries: Besides the usual stuff, do take a non-turkish bath towel and napkin, preferably of the home-spun south cotton kind. They take up lesser space, and dry easily. Bug spray or insect repellant, perhaps even some mosquito coils or mat-and-dispenser. A few large plastic bags, in which you can bung your used clothes, so that they stay isolated from the fresh ones, even if they have to be packed in together.
- Accessories: A small bag that can be slung on your shoulder for walks and shopping expeditions – which can hold a water bottle, perhaps a couple of oranges, a napkin. A folding, hand-held fan – the Japanese kind. You’d think that’s just for fancy ladies at the opera! But it comes in really handy when you’re overheated, or eating at that dhaaba with great food but far too many pesky flies around!
- Medicines: Just a few basics. Any regular medication that you take, plus a couple of pain killers, fever-busters, anti-allergy tabs, some antacid and some antiseptic ointment. Some lozenges or lemon sweets help to combat nausea on long, winding bus journeys.
Travel cool, stay out of the sun, don’t make over-ambitious itineraries, and your vacation’s bound to be the chill-time that you need.
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